Turbine adapted for the use of combustible gases at very high temperatures.



No.. 857,419. PATENTED 00T. l l o. RoLLIN. TUEEINE ADAPTED EUR THE USE 0E COMBUSTIBLE GASES AT VEEY HIGH TEMPBRAEURES.

APPLIoATIoN FILED M1116. 1907.-

MEN

10.867,419. Y PATENTBD 00T. 1, 1907.

c. ROLLIN.

TURBINB ADAPTED POR THE USE OF COMBUSTIBLE GASES AT VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 16, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sTAJrEsv CHARLES RoLLrN, or NEwoAsTLE-UPoN-TYNE, ENGLAND.

` TURBINE ADAPTED Eon THE UsE oF COMBUSTIBLE GAsEs AT VERY nIGH TEMPERATURES. 1 v n the following is a specification.

This invention relates t0 improvements in turbines adapted to be driven by combustible gases at very high temperatures, the objects of the invention being to modify or do away with the diflicultyhitherto experienced in turbines actuated by combustible gases, owing to the destruction of the materials used in the construction of the turbines. Such a turbine should have a very even torque, and should be arranged so that a regenerator should be used to save the heat, and adapted to allow of a great lange of temperature, and this is where the present method of constructing gas turbines fails. The highest temperatures of the materials in a prime motor as used at present have been reached in certain gas engines where the outlet valve has been allowed to reach the faintest possible red heat, but this occasions difficulty and trouble, and causes the parts to wear out quickly. The obvious remedy is to use refractory materials, such as oxid of alumina or other refractory oxid or compound of oxids, but a great difficulty here arises from the fact thatno refractory mixture of oxids or silicates has sullicient tensile strength towithstand the tangential strains imposed when the turbine is revolving at several thousand revolutions pei minute. This obstacle hashitherto prevented the successful construction and Working of any turbine having a refractory lining and designed to work to very high temperatures. In this invention, this difficulty is completely avoided, and to carry out the invention, I cause the inner spindle to remain stationary, so that not being disturbed by centrifugal or tangential strains caused by rapid revolution, I can construct it with an `inner core of-steel and an outer part of fireclay material.

To provide the necessary moving part (or rotor) I arrange for. the outer case of the turbipe to revolve,- and line the same with reclay or other fire resisting material,n molded or cut to shape. The centrifugal strains in the rotor are sustained by the outer steel casing which has at least two and a half inches of fireclay or other lire resisting material between the plates and the flame in the interior. From experience with small furnaces it is found that steel so protected is quite safe, although the temperature inside the refractory material is up to an orange heat. This improved construction has the additional advantage that while the outer casing is rapidly revolving in the manner de' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented-oct. 1,7190?.

.mi January 16, 190.7. Serial No- 352,615?.

scribed,'it isin. immediate ycontact with the air and thereby gainsan-additional cooling effect..

ln the construction to be hereinafter set forth and described, reference will be made to what is known as a parallel flow turbine. The exhaust chamber is placed at one end, and the gas and air-are pumped either by turbine orreciproc-ating pumps into a reservoir, and thence in 'pipesor tubes' into `and down the v said exhaust chamber in the'opposite direction to that of the motion of the waste gases.. These pipes pass out and travel along the-inside ofthe stationary portionof the turbine, which ma'yjbetermedthe stator still going against the d'rectionofthefflame and gaining .heat therefrom, till the pipes reach a space or clearance which may be. called the ,combustion. chamber. Here the gases mix andare fired from the outside on starting by any convenient means, and the pressure generated -thereby drives the machine. This use of regeneration is rendered possible solely by the fact that the gas and air do not meet or mix until the said gases arrive at 'the combustion chamber, so that no harm can result from premature ignition. When the turbine PATENT "OFr1oE,.-Li

is in running condition the Walls of this said combustion chamber should be at least at bright red heat, or maybe up to orange heat.

For the better working of the machine considerable clearance is provided in the working parts, and thereplan is adopted for streng-th. The whole body of the i interior of the turbine is built up of disks, and rings (which may vbein segments). The outerl casing of v steel is also constructedin a similar way. The outer -steel rings forming the outer casing arethreaded on rods, which act as tie rods to keep the said rings even andl compact together, and each steel ring inelosesone or more fire clay rings.V The inner disks exactly correspond to the said outer rings land are threaded on the steel core and on tubes and rods in a similar manner.

In order that this invention may be readilyiunderstood reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l, is a longitudinal section of the apparatus, Fig. 2 a cross section to an enlarged scale en line a-b, showing the stator disk in full, and the rotor in dotted lines, Fig. 3 is a cross section also 'to an enlarged scale on line c-d showing the rotor disk in full and the-stator disk in dotted lines. Fig.- 4. is a cross section to an enlarged scale on line ef showing the holes or channels for the exhaust gases into the exhaust chamber, Fig. 5 is a cross section at g-h, through the combustion chamber, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view showinghthe arrangement of blades andi passages for the flow of the gases used in driving the turbine.

In these several views A is the inner portion of the turbine or stator, built up on the rod or spindle B, in disks and rings (which may be in segments).

C is the outer portion of the turbine or rotor,

, which is built up in a similar manner to the inner portion in disks and segments D, (see Fig. l) and cased in by steel rings E, which are bolted together by rods F passing through the flanges of the said steel rings E.

The central portion or stator of the turbine rests on bearings G Gr, which may be square or rectangular in shape or the central portion may be securely fixed in any convenient manner to prevent the said stator revolving.

The central'rod or spindle B, continues from the inlet end of the turbine to the`enlarged shaft H to which it is screwed or otherwise fixed.

The rotor or outer casing C revolves on brass or other metal bearings I and J and may be further supported by collar oil bath bearings as shown at K.

L is the inlet pipe for conveying the air from the pump and reservoir, and M is the inlet pipe for conveying the gas from the gas producer through the pump and reservoirs, and which said pumps may be driven by the turbine itself.

The gas and air pipes respectively are preferably arranged to circulate through the turbine exhaust chamber N, for the purpose of gradually heating the air and gas before 'entering the turbine. The pipes join the inlet end O for the air, and P for the gas, and the infiowing gases are conveyed along the steel tubes Q and R through the respective holes inthe refractory material to the combustion chamber S, where the air and gas are mixed and fired. The products of the firing rush along the angled openings or channels T, and every alternate channel being stationary, forming part of the stator rings or segments, the rushing gases impinge on the blades forming the inclined channels U of the stator rings, causing the rings of the rotor t0 revolve, and thus motion is imparted to the outer rings or rotor of the turbines.

V is the toothed pinion keyed on to the revolving shaft W which is a continuation of the rotor, This said pnionV gears into the toothed wheel X, fixed on the shaft Y which revolves in bearings Z and Z power is therefore communicated by this means from the rotor C to the driving shaft Y, for driving the pulley 1, or any other means may be utilized for receiving motion from the said driving shaft, or the rotor may be continued to form a shaft 8 at the opposite end of the said rotor, and may be used as a driving shaft for driving machines or apparatus such for nstance as a dynamo.

9, 9, are flanges on the rotor casting for assisting in keeping the end of the rotor cool by radiation of the surfaces of said flanges. 'I

In firing the apparatus, the covers 2 and 3 are romoved. These covers consist of segments of the ring of fire clay cut out of the ring, and the steel segments 4 and 5 are likewise removable. The light is applied through these openings, andwhen the mixed gases are well lighted, the sections are replaced, and the steel segments bolted to the flanges at 6 andl?.

Having now described my invention, what I- claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In gas turbines used for producing motion troni thc combustion of gas and air, the combination of an outer rcvoiving structure or rotor consisting of refractory mnterial, with an outer metallic casing, und an inner stationary structure or stator formed of refractory material.

2. In gas turbines used Ifor producing motion from the combustion ofgas and air, the combination ot an outer rcvolving structure or rotor", consisting of refractory muterial, with an outer casing of steel framing, an inner stittionary structure or stator consisting of rings und segments of tireciay or other refractory material, and a centrai steel rod or spindleon which said stator is built up.

3. In gasturbines used for producing motion from the combustion of gas and air, the combination of nn outer rcvoivini;r structure or rotor, an inner stationary strueture or stator said structures having a combustion chamber :1t one und and :1n exhaust at the other end, und fuel ducts passing longitudinally through the body of thc stator from the exhaust end and opening into the combustion chamber.

4L In gas turbines used for producing motion from the combustion of gas and air, the combination ot an outer revolving structure or rotor un inner stationary structure or stator said structures having a combustion chamber at one end and an exhaust chamber at the other end, :1nd fuel ducts passing first through the exhaust chamber und then longitudinally through the body of the stator und opening into the combustion chamber.

5. In gas turbines used for producing motion from the combustion of gas and air, the combination of an outer revolvingr structure or rotor an inner stationary structure or stator said structures having a combustion chamber at one end and an exhaust at the other end, ducts passing longitudinally through the body of the stator from thc exhaust end and opening into the combustion chamber, und means for supplying certain of Suid ducts with fuel und other of said ducts with air.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hund in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES ROLLIN.

Witnesses ALEXANDER WAnDL/lw, WILLiAM HUDSON NIKON.

10o j l 

